A Medford, Wis., man died Monday morning in a two-vehicle crash in the town of La Grange, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash shut down part of Highway 21 for almost six hours.
At about 5:59 a.m., the Monroe County Communications Center received a report of a two-vehicle accident on Highway 21 just west of Enterprise Road. The accident involved a semi-truck and a car.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Patrol investigated the crash. The car was a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu operated by Kyle Petrick, 20, of Medford, Wis. There were no other occupants in the Malibu. The semi-truck was a 2003 Freightliner operated by Richard Murphy, 52, of Ontario. There was a juvenile occupant in the semi-truck. No trailer was attached to the semi-truck.
The investigation determined that the Malibu had been westbound on Highway 21 when it crossed the centerline of the highway and went head on into the semi-truck, which was headed eastbound. Petrick was pronounced deceased at the scene. The juvenile from the semi-truck was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with minor, non-life-threatening injuries. Murphy was not injured.
There was a large amount of debris scattered across the highway and a large amount of diesel fuel spilled in the area. Highway 21 was shut down for almost six hours for investigative purposes, removal of the vehicles, and cleanup of the scene.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Monroe County Communications Center, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Tomah Police Department, the Oakdale Fire Department, the Tomah Area Ambulance Service, the Tomah Fire Department Rescue Techs, the Monroe County Hazardous Materials Response Team, Tomah Wrecker Service, Monroe County Emergency Management, and the Monroe County Highway Department. The incident remains under investigation.
